TITLE DATE, Masonic Songs (7)................................. 1815─30 Poems on Pictures (21)............................ 1819, &c. Invectives (44)................................... 1802─24 Political poems (54).............................. 1814, &c. Masques (14)...................................... 1776-1818 Poems in the name of the citizens of Carlsbad (7). 1810─12 Poems on Individuals, &c. (209)................... 1778─1831 Chinese-German Poems (14)......................... 1827 Prophecies of Bakis (33).......................... 1798 The Four Seasons (99)............................. 1796 Epistles (3)...................................... 1794 Achilleis--Canto I................................ 1798─9 Reineke Fuchs..................................... 1793 Theatrical Prologues and Epilogues (12, including the Epilogue to the Song of the Bell, given in this volume)................................... 1782─1821 THE POEMS OF GOETHE. DEDICATION. The morn arrived; his footstep quickly scared The gentle sleep that round my senses clung, And I, awak'ning, from my cottage fared, And up the mountain side with light heart sprung; At every step I felt my gaze ensnared By new-born flow'rs that full of dew-drops hung; The youthful day awoke with ecstacy, And all things quicken'd were, to quicken me. And as I mounted, from the valley rose A streaky mist, that upward slowly spread, Then bent, as though my form it would enclose, Then, as on pinions, soar'd above my head: My gaze could now on no fair view repose, in mournful veil conceal'd, the world seem'd dead; The clouds soon closed around me, as a tomb, And I was left alone in twilight gloom. At once the sun his lustre seem'd to pour, And through the mist was seen a radiant light; Here sank it gently to the ground once more, There parted it, and climb'd o'er wood and height. How did I yearn to greet him as of yore, After the darkness waxing doubly bright! The airy conflict ofttimes was renew'd, Then blinded by a dazzling glow I stood. Ere long an inward impulse prompted me A hasty glance with boldness round to throw; At first mine eyes had scarcely strength to see, For all around appear'd to burn and glow. Then saw I, on the clouds borne gracefully, A godlike woman hov'ring to and fro. In life I ne'er had seen a form so fair-- She gazed at me, and still she hover'd there. "Dost thou not know me?" were the words she said In tones where love and faith were sweetly bound; "Knowest thou not Her who oftentimes hath shed The purest balsam in each earthly wound? Thou knows't me well; thy panting heart I led To join me in a bond with rapture crown'd. Did I not see thee, when a stripling, yearning To welcome me with tears, heartfelt and burning?" "Yes!" I exclaim'd, whilst, overcome with joy, I sank to earth; "I long have worshipp'd thee; Thou gav'st me rest, when passions rack'd the boy,